Opposition playing politics over health services; claims of payment irregularities and denial of treatment are factually incorrect: Saini
Out of ₹1,236 crore claims, nearly ₹1,100 crore paid; treatment worth ₹3,862 crore provided to over 27 lakh people
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh –
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said that the opposition’s attempt to portray a health emergency–like situation in the state is merely a politically motivated narrative. He stated that allegations regarding irregularities in payments under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and claims that private hospitals have stopped treatment are completely baseless, factually incorrect, and far from the truth.
The Chief Minister was responding to a Calling Attention motion brought by the opposition regarding the Ayushman Bharat scheme during the Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Monday.
Addressing the House, the Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana was launched on December 23, 2018. Under this scheme, eligible families are provided health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. A total of 2,694 treatment packages are included under the scheme.
He further informed that the Chirayu Yojana was launched on November 21, 2022, through which the benefits of Ayushman Bharat were extended to Antyodaya families with an annual income of up to ₹1.80 lakh. Under this scheme as well, health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family is provided, and the entire cost is borne by the state government.
The Chief Minister said that in 2023–24, the scope of the Ayushman Bharat Chirayu scheme was further expanded to include families with an annual income between ₹1.80 lakh and ₹3 lakh. He added that Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi has also ensured that senior citizens aged 70 years and above receive the benefits of the scheme.
He said a strong grievance redressal mechanism has been established under the scheme. Complaints can be registered 24 hours a day at the National Health Authority’s call centre on helpline number 14555. The Chief Minister informed the House that as of January 22, 2026, a total of 784 private hospitals in Haryana are empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. In February 2026, up to February 21 alone, 33,911 pre-authorisation requests were received from private hospitals.
He said that if hospitals had actually stopped treatment, such a large number of pre-authorisation requests would not have been possible.
Similarly, during the financial year 2025–26, empanelled private hospitals submitted a total of 5,91,863 claims.The Chief Minister said that some attempts are also being made to spread misconceptions regarding payments. He stated that during the Congress government, 700 doctors were available, whereas today the number has increased to 3,200 doctors.
He informed that during the financial year 2024–25, private hospitals submitted claims worth ₹1,236 crore, out of which nearly ₹1,100 crore has already been paid, reflecting about 89 percent claim settlement. He further stated that in the past three months alone, approximately ₹250 crore has been released to empanelled hospitals.
Under the Ayushman Chirayu Yojana, treatment for 27,42,306 people has been provided in the state, with claims amounting to ₹3,862.36 crore already paid. The Chief Minister also said that in the past five months, no beneficiary has lodged any complaint stating that a hospital refused treatment under the Ayushman scheme due to non-payment.
He added that when beneficiaries themselves are not facing problems, it is difficult to understand where the opposition sees a health emergency. The Chief Minister said that making such allegations regarding the state’s health services is not only fabricated but also an insult to the dedicated work of lakhs of doctors and paramedical staff.